Gail’s, the posh bakery that’s become a ubiquitous marker of gentrification across the UK, has endured criticism for food wastage, £4 lattes, and killing off local businesses. 

Now, to add to the list of grumbles, diners have discovered that the chain’s Smoked Caesar Club Sandwich contains an eye-watering 1,000 calories. 

It’s burst the bubble for those who imagine that popping into a middle-class bakery that serves options such as avocado toast and overnight oats is likely to be a healthier option than any of the other high street chains. 

For instance, at rival Greggs – the high street’s biggest bakery chain – a chicken sandwich is a mere 349 calories.

And while the average Gail’s customer might not be accustomed to popping into Greggs where the shelves heave with baked pastries, sausage rolls and slices, they may be missing a trick.

But how does the pricey coffee shop stack up against Britain’s humble working-class hero, Greggs, if you’re looking to trim the fat from your diet?

We compared nine similar dishes on the menu at Gail’s and Greggs to find out which is better if you’re trying to eat in a calorie deficit.

From sausage rolls and a selection of pastries and sweet treats to on-the-go lunch options and coffee, can you guess which of these dishes has more calories?

Introducing the competitors.. 

Gail’s Bacon & Egg Slider versus Greggs’ Bacon and Omelette Roll 

Greggs and Gail’s offer different twists on the classic breakfast combo 

Gail’s £7.60 version of a classic bacon and egg sarnie has a cheesy soufflé, free-range bacon, spinach, and fresh tomato as well as a tomato relish inside a soft brioche bun. 

Greggs’s fuss-free iteration is made with bacon and cheddar cheese omelette sandwiched between a corn-topped roll. It costs less than £3. 

Pain au chocolat 

Both Greggs and Gail’s offer a wide selection of pastries and baked breakfast treats

Both Greggs and Gail’s sell this popular breakfast staple made with rich dark chocolate wrapped in flaky pastry. 

However, a pain au chocolat at Greggs will set you back by £1.40 in comparison to the £3.10 version at Gail’s.  

Butter croissant  

The price of Gail’s croissant is nearly twice the cost of the  Greggs’ counterpart  

Greggs’ butter croissant is also less than half the price of the one sold at Gail’s – but is it also lower-calorie?

Overnight oats 

This healthy, no-cook breakfast has become an increasingly popular option for the health-conscious 

Among Gail’s selection of breakfast options is the £4.50 Apple and Blackcurrant Overnight Oats bowl, with almond butter and toasted almond nibs.

Greggs uses Greek-style yoghurt and oats for a similar dish that’s topped with apple, honey, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and sultanas. The pot costs less than £3. 

Sausage roll 

While the Greggs sausage roll is dubbed ‘the nation’s favourite’, Gail’s offers a bougier version of the British classic 

Easily the most famous dish on the menu at Greggs, the sausage roll costs £1.45. In contrast, the minced pork sausage roll at Gail’s is priced at £4.40. 

Sweet treats  

Two very different muffins at Gail’s and Greggs – for two very different prices

The cookies at Gail’s and Greggs are both made with chunky chocolate chips but the former costs over twice as much as the other

If you’re after a sweet treat that doesn’t upend your diet, should you pick Gail’s or Greggs? Both offer a range of baked goods, like these chocolate muffins that are priced at £3.60 and £1.70 respectively. 

We also compared the calories in Gail’s £3.20 cookie and the £1.40 equivalent at Greggs.

Latte 

The coffees at Gail’s typically cost £4.10 while Greggs’ brews are more modestly priced at £2.40 – although the quality is significantly different 

Finally, we looked at which regular latte could save you a few calories if you’re trying to shed a few kilos. 

The results…

When comparing the calorie counts for similar menu items from budget-friendly Greggs and middle-class favourite Gail’s, the former won every time. 

The biggest difference was between the 1,067-calorie Smoked Caesar Club sandwich at Gail’s and the 349-calorie Roast Chicken Salad equivalent at Greggs. 

For a quick grab-and-go lunch, chicken sandwiches are a popular choice at both Greggs and Gail’s – but these two versions have dramatically different calorie counts 

But everything at Gail’s was more calorie-dense than Greggs’ counterparts, as you can see below: 

Greggs’ Bacon and Omelette Roll has fewer calories (363) than the Breakfast Bacon & Egg Slider at Gail’s (934) 

Greggs and Gail’s offer different twists on the classic breakfast combo 

The pain au chocolat at Greggs has fewer calories (299) than Gail’s version (423)

Both Greggs and Gail’s offer a wide selection of pastries and baked breakfast treats

 The same is true for the calories in the butter croissants at Gail’s (374) and Greggs (292) 

The price of a Gail’s croissant is nearly twice the cost of the  Greggs’ counterpart  

There’s a 100-calorie difference between the overnight oats options at Greggs (255) and Gail’s (355) 

This healthy, no-cook breakfast has become an increasingly popular option for the health-conscious 

Greggs’ famous sausage roll has 348 calories, against the 563-calorie version sold at Gail’s 

Greggs’ most famous menu item, the humble yet mighty sausage roll only has 348 calories in contrast to the 563-calorie Gail’s alternative

The muffin at Gail’s packs 547 calories while Greggs’ triple chocolate version comes in at just under 450

Two very different muffins at Gail’s and Greggs – but the former has almost 100 more calories

The same is true for the chocolate chip cookies, as the one sold at Gail’s has a higher calorie count (429) than Greggs’ milk chocolate variant (343) 

The cookies at Gail’s and Greggs are both made with chunky chocolate chips but the former costs over twice as much as the other

Finally, a regular latte at Gail’s has 166 calories, while the same drink at Greggs has 111 calories 

The coffees at Gail’s typically cost £4.10 while Greggs’ brews are more modestly priced at £2.40 – although the quality is significantly different